As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we are all checking off our to-do lists for back-to-school readiness. In addition to the school supplies and clothes, many parents wonder about extracurricular activities. Afterall, our kids need lots of movement after long days at desks. That is where ballet for kids comes in.
Science has proven time and time again that movement is key to neurodevelopment. Many of our kids spend upwards of six hours a day in school with less than an hour of that being devoted to large gross motor movement.
Adding an extracurricular activity into your child’s routine is an excellent way to improve their neurodevelopment.
Ballet For Kids – Movement and Neurodevelopment
Despite the long school days, educators, developmental specialists, neuroscientists, and more are aware of the key benefits of movement. There is a direct connection between movement and brain development. For growing kids, this means movement is vital.
Ballet for kids offers significant benefits for neurodevelopment including, but not limited to:
- Improved academic readiness
- Pattern memorization, a key pre-math skill
- Improved coordination
- Better balance which improves focus
- Core strength and development which improves concentration in school
- Postural strength
- Memorization skills improved
- Improved overall confidence
Those are just a few of the benefits directly related to neurodevelopment.
Why Ballet For Kids Is Important
As parents, we want to do all we can to help give our kids the best start in life. Research shows that there are critical periods of development. Early childhood through elementary school is an important time to ensure optimal brain development.
One study saying:
“In theory, there are a series of windows for developing motor control, vision, language, feelings, etc. If a child misses an opportunity, his brain may not develop its circuitry to its full potential for a specific function. Does this mean that a child will be impaired? Not likely, except in abnormally deprived conditions. What we are talking about is “optimizing” individual development.”
Certainly, ballet is not the only way to develop motor control. However, it is an excellent activity to aid in motor control development. Early motor control is an important developmental skill with life long benefits.
Ballet offers children the ability to move, memorize, build confidence, work through emotions, and learn the benefits of hard work. These are all excellent skills for their school career.
When we help our children build their physical wellness and confidence, we can help them navigate even the most challenging situations which can arise in childhood.
What Is The International Ballet Academy?
At the International Ballet Academy, we truly believe ballet is something which everyone should have access to. Therefore, we have created a unique, fully online program designed to fit into any schedule.
This is not a random “how-to” video class. These are synchronous and asynchronous lessons led by professional dance instructors. We know the importance of mastering each stage of ballet to ensure proper skill and muscle development.
When you register your child for a class with the International Ballet Academy, you can be certain your child is learning from some of the best dance instructors in the industry. Our instructors are not simply skilled dancers, they are also professional teachers.
It is important that your child’s dance instructor be able to truly guide and direct them to proper posture, movement, and coordination. Whether your child dreams of gracing the stages of Carnegie Hall, or they simply enjoy dancing around the living room, our ballet for kids can help your child begin with the foundations of dance.
As you get ready for the new school year, ensure your child is ready too. Be sure to check out all of our ballet for kids’ classes to ensure your child gets plenty of movement.
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